‘No Man Is an Island’: Airmic CEO Graham values FERMA links

As a past president and board member of FERMA, Julia Graham is well positioned to comment on the importance of relationships and collaboration between different risk management associations. 

Now the chief executive of UK risk management association Airmic, Graham will attend FERMA in Madrid with a number of priorities—but more than anything, as she told FERMA Forum Today, she values that partnership and what the associations can learn from each other. 

“I’m looking forward to celebrating FERMA’s anniversary with friends and colleagues old and new,” she said. “Two past presidents who I knew very well have passed away in recent years and it will provide an opportunity to reflect on fond memories.

“Over the years I have become less dismissive of the past and more receptive to the value of past learning and experiences as a foundation for our future. My friends and colleagues have passed on more wisdom than I appreciated and it’s never too late to have this respect for them.”

Graham is also there for practical reasons. A board meeting will take place during FERMA for the International Federation of Risk & Insurance Management Associations (IFRIMA). She will attend as a member of the IFRIMA board and executive.

She also values the opportunity to learn and network at FERMA. And noted that, especially given the scope of Airmic, which includes the Republic of Ireland, FERMA’s EU focus remains of great relevance and interest.

“We are proud to be a member association of FERMA and have been a member association since FERMA’s earliest days,” she said. “We are closely engaged through Airmic members who are FERMA board members although accept that once an Airmic member joins the FERMA board they represent the collective interests of FERMA member associations and not just Airmic.”

She added that Airmic is a member of the steering committee established for the 2025 Seminar and it has contributed to events and panels at events in previous years. Its past chair is a judge at the 2024 FERMA Awards.

“As with other larger FERMA member associations, Airmic has an extensive programme of networking, mentoring, learning, communities and thought leadership, and is an active attendee and contributor at an international level with a number of other associations—in risk, insurance and other professions including business continuity, internal audit and accountancy.”

In this sense, she said that formal training around the skills of risk management is more important than ever. Though she also noted that the focus is changing to reflect the learning preferences, context and risks of the world in which we all work and live.

One of Airmic’s investments in this area has been launching the Airmic Risk Management Fundamentals (RMF), a course designed to equip individuals and their organisations with the knowledge and tools to navigate an increasingly complex world of risk. 

“I am proud to be one of the authors and trainers for the course alongside our head of learning Adam Ireland who is an extremely experienced professional in the learning space.

“We wanted to design and deliver a course which uses up the minutes with language and practice for those either new to risk and managing risks or those who want a better understanding or who have risk as part of their wider professional responsibilities,” she said.

The RMF course is available to Airmic members and non-members from any sector or organisation. The course is provided on an open and in-house basis. It is typically delivered by risk professionals across two days (in-person) or three half days (virtually), and supported by an online platform. Delegates will experience six interactive modules packed with the latest thinking on risk management, coupled with access to practical resources. The course is assessed in a 60-minute online exam.

Summing up her mood as FERMA starts in Madrid this week, Graham again reiterated the importance of collaboration. She recalls and recites the words of English poet John Donne who, in 1624, wrote the poem ‘No Man Is an Island’, which explores the interconnectedness of humanity and the impact of loss.

“The speaker asserts that no individual is isolated, but rather an integral part of the broader human collective. The poem compares this collective to a continent, with each person being a ‘piece’ or ‘part’ of the whole. His words remain true today,” Graham said.

FERMA Forum Today is in partnership with Captive Review, part of Newton Media.

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